DIY Pinecone Christmas Trees

As a child the magic of Christmas was always in the decorations, especially ones that my brothers and sisters and I had made ourselves. Every year our mother would pull out the decorations we had made over the years and floods of great memories always came to mind.

I set out to do a simple project with my little ones, something easy, fun with instant results. These Pinecone Christmas Trees were perfect for my 3 year old and almost 2 year old.

A Healthy Dinner, Pasta With Ground Turkey and Broccoli

I have to confess that I haven't had much luck staying away from all the holiday goodies lately.

I've been making cupcakes, and cookies and fudge lately, and sampling everyone else's yummy food and treats, and I'm beginning to feel the effects.

I need to bring in some healthy eating during the holidays, and not just indulge in heavy holiday meals.
This great tasting recipe for Pasta With Ground Turkey and Broccoli is just what I need to eat better and feel better. It's easy to put together, and the ground turkey is readily available at your grocery store.

I first published this on Popcorn and Pearls, but it's delicious enough to share it here, and I'll be making this again tonight.

Have A Merry Christmas With M&Ms and Forza Motorsport 5 #FueledbyMM #shop #cbias

Christmas is less than two weeks away, and I'm proud of myself for having already gotten most of my shopping done. There's a rumor going around in my family that Santa just might be bringing us an Xbox One this year. Wouldn't that be fun?

So I decided that it must be true, that Santa will deliver that highly coveted Xbox One to our house, and I will make it even merrier by buying the Forza Motorsport 5 game to go with it.

I got a little crafty when I wrapped the game, and I know my family will get some laughs when they see how I decorated the package. It's perfect for under the tree, and I love that it's a little tease of the Xbox One that they all want.

I went to Walmart to look for Forza  Motorsport 5 and I was relieved to see they had some in stock. I know this is a very popular game, and I wanted to be able to make sure I had one on Christmas morning.

Plus, Walmart has an easy way to get a $10 eGift Card when you buy this game and a qualifying bag of M&Ms.

We love M&Ms, so a snack and video games is a favorite way my family likes to spent time during the holidays. The 'kids' that love playing the video games in our family are mostly in their 20s and 30s now, but they pretty much revert to being ten year olds, and have a lot of fun together.

Gingerbread Cupcakes With Gingerbread M&Ms

Baking gingerbread is one of the easiest ways to get me into the Christmas spirit. I just love the way it smells, and the delicious taste, too.

I usually bake it in a pan and slice it up, but cupcakes are more fun for my grandchildren to eat, especially when they are topped with yummy buttercream frosting and Gingerbread M&Ms. This is a fun recipe to let the kids help with on those long days of winter vacation.

Recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes with M&Ms and Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Gingerbread M&Ms, chopped

Aurorae Yoga Backpack and Candle Review and Giveaway #sponsored

I've been doing yoga for quite a few years now. Believe me when I say that it has made a huge difference in my happiness in life.

I always encourage people to look into starting a yoga practice, and science now backs up the facts that yoga is good for you, both physically and mentally.

Having the right mat and yoga accessories is crucial to having a successful practice, and the company I like best for that is Aurorae Yoga.

They offer everything you need, including mats, comfortable yoga wear, props, accessories, and more.